Karun Chandhok Explains – Do Leclerc and co show that the gap between F2 and F1 has closed up?

The gap between Formula Two and Formula One is big not just in terms of car performance but more so in terms of the scale of the teams. Making the giant leap to the pinnacle of motorsport and staying there is a feat achieved only by the select few. While some are able to make an immediate impact on Formula One, the others may not drive to their full potential for a variety of different reasons. Take the classic example of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Hulkenberg – both were extremely high rated talents in their junior career but sadly, only one of them has gone on to take victories and win World Championships.

Lately however, a new generation of ultra-talented youngsters have emerged from F2 and have made quite a positive impact on Formula One. Monegasque Charles Leclerc sealed a seat at the legendary Scuderia Ferrari within one season of his arrival. He now holds the proud record of being the youngest Ferrari driver since Ricardo Rodriguez in 1961. Moreover, the likes of Alex Albon, Lando Norris and George Russell have all been very impressive for their age in their first Formula One season.

The big question

What is it then, that is helping these youngsters get into the groove of Formula One so quickly? Has the gap between F2 and F1 narrowed down? Is it an easier step to make today?

We asked this question to Karun Chandhok, whose arsenal consists of over two decades of Motorsport experience, including two years racing in Formula One. Now working as an expert for Sky Sports F1, Karun has made the step to F1 from the now-rebranded GP2 series and he knows all about it.

“No, the gap has always been the same. I think the gap now is a little bit bigger because the F1 cars are so quick in qualifying with the higher downforce. So, I think from 2017 onwards the gap in qualifying terms has gotten bigger; it was smaller back then. But on the whole, I don’t think that the gap between F2 and F1 has increased,” said Karun.

The secret behind the performances of Leclerc, Albon, Russell and Norris

This is where things get intriguing. If the step between F2 and F1 has remained more or less the same in the holistic sense, what explains the immediate impact that this younger generation has had? Are they more prepared than the previous generation?

“No, not really,” said Karun. “In every category you have peaks and troughs. For example, when I raced in GP2 in 2008, it was an extremely strong year and I don’t think that 2007 was  as strong a year. In the same way, I think the last year in F2 was a strong year – there were lots of very good, very talented drivers and rookies who were doing very well. On the other hand, when you look at this year, we have a lot of drivers in their third year, fourth year or fifth year, so you don’t really have a strong group of guys who are rookies or in their second season,” he added.

“But that’s the way it has always been in F2.  2018 was another strong year and I don’t think we should over-analyse that. You have ups and downs in any category,” quoted Karun Chandhok, the first Indian driver to compete in the legendary 24 Hours Of Le Mans race.

Age is just a number

Adding to what Karun said, I truly believe that we are very fortunate to witness such a talented group of drivers come up together. Just as Leclerc and Verstappen have proved in the last year, even the younger drivers can often show a lot of maturity in the racecar.  Just take a look at the 2019 Bahrain GP in Leclerc’s case or the 2018 Singapore GP in Verstappen’s case.

Age, truly is becoming more of a number in modern Formula One. Instead of putting these young drivers under the burden of immense scrutiny, I believe that we must watch them and enjoy their colourful driving! If their growth continues in the same manner, I strongly feel that we may see this lot winning quite a few world championships in the not-too-distant future.

Do you agree with Karun Chandhok? What is your take on the success of the new generation of Formula One drivers? Don’t forget to voice your opinion out in the comments section!